[SMCARA] W3BNY's antenna box update

[R. J. Ramirez]

Hiya folks.  It's been an icky weekend but I was able to get some stuff done
on the vertical.  Not what I wanted to do (dig a trench, lay some conduit
and run coax/control cables) but today was able to get something done.

For those of you who didn't make it to the last meeting or didn't remember,
I took on building the AD5X 43' vertical 10/80M matching project as seen in
the December/January issue of QST magazine (if you don't get QST, go to
http://www.ad5x.com/images/Articles/Match160.pdf for all the details!)
Anyhow, I showed the box off to the gang at last months meeting.

Since it was so darn icky and I wasn't able to lay conduit or lay out
radials, I decided to mount the box.  I binked some pressure treat as
verticals down with 1x2 cross braces.  (I was going to dig a hole...but it
was moosh so I took out my binker to whack them into the ground.  Here is
the overall view of the box as mounted and connected.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=installedbox.jpg

As you can see, I decided to forgo the usual wiring convention and go off
the deep end with 2" copper straps.  No, they are not from Georgia Copper, I
made them!  I started off with some copper flashing that I had gotten from
Dysons a while back.  Took my handy-dandy IR pneumatic sheers and WHRRRRRRRR
I now have a 2" strap as long as I need them.  So, why copper straps instead
of wire or braid?  Simple.  Copper strap provided a greater surface area
then wire.  And since we are dealing with RF and the surface effect (RF
tends to hang out on the surface of cables) so I gave the RF a larger
surface to travel along and provide a lower impedance for the RF to travel
on vice the braid or 2Kv wire that I may have used. (side note:  I changed
out the braid that I was using on my SGC-237 coupler on my truck for a 2"
wide copper strap.  ZOMG!!!  Big difference!  Coupler takes oh...about a
second or less to tune up on all frequencies above 80m.  80 is still a bit
persnickety...but hey..Im trying to load up a way short antenna on 80!  But
it still loads!)  Here is a side view of the box.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=sideview.jpg

Now...why is that copper so pretty looking...Blame the Navy and its 20yrs of
programming (if its copper or brass...ITS POLISHED)  Its not a mirror finish
but its clean.  And I expect it to stay that way for oh....10 years or so.
How you ask...HEH...."Ancient Chinese Secret" (First person to tell me where
that line came from...I owe you a soda at the least!) Actually its from a
certain coating called PERMALAC.  I saw it on an antenna page and was
impressed with its properties (copper protection and general UV protection).
Be advised though.  THIS STUFF AINT CHEEP!  A spray can is 21 bucks and 10
bucks for shipping!  You don't want to know what a gallon of the stuff
costs...so use it sparingly!  Want more info?  http://www.permalac.com/  So
the bulk of it is permalac'd...except for the connection points.  They are
clean copper...albeit with a coating of conductive copper laden grease (got
it from ICE suppressor folks).  Here is the side view of the connections...

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=boxmounts01.jpg

And here is another connection point view with a gross view of the
connection to the DX engineering radial plate

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=boxmounts01.jpg

Here is the connection to the antenna itself.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=antennamount.jpg

Here is a close up of the mating to the radial plate.  I left...2 inches
un-protected and I coated it top and bottom with conductive copper grease.
And mounted it on four points with star washers (top and bottom) stainless
steel 1/4-20's and flats/locks.  Yeah its over kill but you cant tell me
that there isn't enough surface area mating the copper to the radial plate!

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=radialplatemount.jpg

And here is the box and antenna...as seen from the side.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/W3BNY%20vertical%20antenna%
20upgrade/?action=view&current=fullview.jpg

And that's what I did today.  I probably wont lay conduit or radials next
Saturday (Church stuff) but will probably do something Sunday.

If you guys have any questions please...feel free to ask.  Otherwise...

Thanks for letting me take up your Sunday evening and see yaw all next
meeting.


73'

Ren...W3BNY